The Yugra Oblases ethnofestival took place in Khanty-Mansiysk, becoming one of Russia’s key events in the field of ethnosport and traditional competitions. The central part of the festival is racing on oblases — traditional dugout boats of the Indigenous peoples of Yugra. In modern sporting classification, these boats are closest to kayaks, but culturally the oblas remains not simply sports equipment, but part of the heritage of the Indigenous peoples of the North. For traditional competitions, this is an exceptional level of recognition, as such status is usually associated with modern sports.
This festival was attended by Governor of Yugra Ruslan Kukharuk and Alexey Kylasov, President of the UNESCO-accredited World Ethnosport Society. The competitions brought together 320 athletes, including international participants from 14 countries. In this way, a local tradition of Yugra continues to develop as an international ethnosport event.
